Discrimination in workplace banned

Discrimination in workplace banned

Tb. Arie Rukmantara, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

All Indonesians will soon enjoy equal opportunities as regards
employment recruitment and placement, and in the remuneration
they receive, regardless of gender, religion, race, ethnic group,
political affiliation or social status ... on paper at least.

The government, labor unions, employers associations and the
International Labor Organization (ILO) jointly launched Equal
Employment Opportunity (EEO) directives on Thursday that are
designed to ensure that firms eschew discrimination in the
workplace.

The directives, composed of seven chapters made up of a total
of 48 pages, say that firms should recruit, select, place and
compensate their workers based solely on competence, talent and
expertise.

The employers are also required to provide equal pay for work
of equal value, and to set transparent wage structures and scales
so as to ensure that this is done.

"Different treatment in terms of wages and allowances between
male and female workers is prohibited," the directives say.

Newly appointed Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Erman
Suparno said the directives were designed to give effect to
articles 5 and 6 of the Manpower Law (No. 13/2003), which
stipulates that all workers must be treated in a non-
discriminatory manner.

"Recruitment and placement should be undertaken in an
objective, transparent, fair and equitable manner," he said in a
written statement read out by the ministry's secretary-general,
Harry Heriawan Saleh, at the launch of the directives at the
manpower ministry.

The minister said that an EEO Task Force set up by his
predecessor as minister, Fahmi Idris, had formulated the
directives in collaboration with the Indonesian Employers
Association (APINDO) and three labor union confederations -- the
Indonesian Labor Union Confederation (KSPSI), Indonesian Trade
Union Congress (KSPI), and the Confederation of Indonesian
Prosperity Trade Unions (KSBSI).

The directives were also drafted in response to the
ratification of ILO Conventions No. 100 on equal remuneration and
No. 111 on discrimination (employment and occupation), the
minister said.

ILO Indonesia Country Deputy Director Peter Rademaker welcomed
the adoption of the EEO directives.

"Equal opportunity is important ... The directives have shown
the willingness of Indonesia to have workplace rules, policies,
practices and behavior that are fair and do not disadvantage
people because they belong to particular groups," he said.

APINDO secretary-general, Djimanto, said employers should
support the directives as they would also be beneficial to
employers.

Meanwhile, KSPSI chairman and former minister of manpower and
transmigration, Jacob Nuwa Wea, stressed that the government
should actively promote the directives to make sure that
employers and workers across the nation fully understood what
they stood for.

EEO Task Force chairman Lumban Gaol said the ministry would
monitor the implementation of the directives and formulate
incentives to encourage compliance.

"Those who comply will be rewarded, while those who don't will
be punished," he said, adding that under the prevailing manpower
legislation, the firms could face administrative sanctions, fines
or criminal charges.